What are the 3 most pressing issues in Conroe and what is your preferred solution to each?

1. Problem: Financial Issues.

Conroe has $700 million-dollars of debt, plus another $300-$400 million dollars of unfunded captital improvements projects (CIP). In addition, our main revenue source, sales tax, is currently flat and going down.  Our estimataed income income for 2023-2024 is $314 million dollar. That creates a 3:1 ratio of debt to income and is not sustainable. Not to mention, the city-owned hotel is a disaster!

Solution: Spend less than we are taking in, invest any excess, pay off debt as quickly aspossible. Immediately cut city expenses from 5% to 10%, continue hiring freeze and explore staffing reduction. Increase revenue through business development and sale of property through the Conroe Industrial Development Corporation of which I am the newly elected chairman of the board. It is going to take a conservative city council to correct the over spending of the past administrations.

2. Problem. Housing

Conroe currently has 4,000 newly built or, under construction apartments. There are 32 additional apartment projects with as many as 23 apartments per acre. This density leads to traffic problems, stress on the infrastructure, congestion for First Responders and the loss of mature trees. 

Solution: Developers need to pay for part of the new infrastucture. Fewer apartments per acre. Tract homes should have a larger minimum lot sizes. Streets must wide enough to allow First Responders to navigate around parked cars. Clear cutting for developments needs stricter oversight and enforcement of existing ordinances. Conroe needs more family sized homes, not just 'starter' 'homes.  The city needs more higher paying business jobs.

3. Problem: Conroe City Government is practically dysfuntional. Training, procedures and policies, and processes all need updating to accomodate the exponential growth of the city. Recent events have brougt to light the excessive spending, poor judgement, and lack of competent leadership by the mayor and certain members of the council.

Solution: Conroe needs a more financially conservative City Council and Mayor. Everbody on the dias MUST be able to read and comprehend the documents for each council meeting. The ability to predict consequences of council decisions is imperative.

Do you support term limits for the council?  If so, how many terms? Which current Magnolia board member do you identify with the most and why?

Yes

Two, four-year terms.

Marsha Porter

Marsha is smart, willing to stand indpendently, do her research and challenge questionable decisions.

Do you feel that City of Conroe police and fire is adequately funded?  Explain.

Conroe Police and Conroe Fire are separate entities and have their own issues. 

The current police salaries are in the middle of the pack for this size city. The pay structure has peaks and valleys and is inconsistent with their step process over a three to five year period. The police are understaffed by 10-20 officers.

I will do my best to provide both departments the funding needed for the equipment to protect themselve and our citizens.

Should "comparables" be within a certain distance to protested properties and what is a reasonable distance?Why or why not?

No 

All factors should be considered in comps. Location, quality, age, and safety are all part of the value. 

How do you feel about private property rights, with respect to City ordinances?  Which one take precedence?

I will always try to uphold private property rights.

What 2 things about your opponent do the voters need to know?

1.None of my opponents have the business experience and knowkedge that I have. Depth of experience is vital considering the current financial problems.

2.Susan Johnson is a real estate agent/broker advocating for apartments and more starter homes which bring with them clear cutting, narrow driveways, smaller lot sizes and cars parked on the street which impede First responders' abilithy to navigate.

Where do you stand on the GRP (Groundwater Reduction Plan) Contract and why?

This is a very complicated situation.The simple explination of the issue is this: I am opposed to the SJRA charging Conroe for our water that we are pumping out of our own wells, at a dollar rate determined by SJRA.  Additionally, SJRA stipulates that Conroe take a certain amount of surface water that they specify. This issue is now being litigated. Conroe has won every decison thus far. The goal is to make SJRA  come back to the table to negoiatate a move equitable contract for the citizens of Conroe. 

What's your position on the SJRA and Lonestar Groundwater boards?  Explain.

I support the Lonestar Groundwater Board. Lonestar continues to look for the highest practical use of groundwater for the citizens of Montgomery County while still managing our most  precious resources. However, I will not support Lonestar rate and fee  increases.

How can the operation of your city government be made more efficient and cost effective?

We need a clean starting point.  We should begin with a financial audit of every department. Then we review policies and procedures and staffing positions for efficency.

What is the current budget surplus and should any of it be returned to the residents, pay down debt or retained in a rainy day fund and if so, how much and why?

Policy requires a 90 day rainy day fund. I believe we are currently at about 116 days.  Beyond that, a balanced portion of any surplus should be invested in secure financial instruments, staying below arbitrage regulations and pay down short term bond debt to save interest expenses. Invest the interest.

Have you ever been convicted as result of arrest? Ever had any tax liens? If so, give start & resolution dates?

NO

NO

Are you now or have you ever done business with The City of County and/or a Conroe/county official and if so, the nature of that relationship?

NO

Please describe what measures you propose to improve transparency and accountability to the public.

I will act as a fiduciary for the citizens of Conroe.  I will challenge from the dias known incidences of failing to abide by Texas statutes. Recent events have shown there is a lack of tranasparency, accountability, trust, and consequences for failure to abide by said statutes. No citizen will be denied their right to present and speak at the Citizen Inquiry Time as I was on October 25, 2023 by Mayor Jody and councilman Curt Maddox.

Do you feel the city should be in the real estate business and to what extent? (example - Industrial/Technolgy Park/Hyatt Hotel, etc.)

As chairman of the board of Conroe Industrial Development Corporation, I will be leading the board and the executive director in updating and rewriting the bylaws of the corporation beginning in June. The policies and work product  of the CIDC, specifically the business parks, should be limited to a scale and scope of projects not being served by others . I would consider the expansion of a sybiotic relationship with participants in a free and open market and prospective new businesses.It is my understanding that a licensed real estate agent/broker is part of each sale of any CIDC owned property.

What was your position on the Conroe Hyatt Hotel, prior to Conroe's involvement, both then and now and why?

The City Council voted funds for a feasibility study. There were opportunities following the results of the study to suspend the project. I would have stopped the project. The second opportunity came after S&L Global's public offering of the Presale:Memorandum for the Sale of Bonds. Here is the link to this document:https://disclosure.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/-/view/sourceId/11960437. The document has many concerning implications. I would have stopped the project. Items P,Q, and R of the City Council Worshop on May 26, 2021 dealt with the projections, assurances and expectations for a financial windfall. Here is the link: https://conroetx.new.swagit.com/videos/122120  I would have voted no.  Items 1 and 2 of the Aug. 12, 2021 dealt with the actual vote on funding the bond sale for the Hotel/Convention Center. Link: https://conroetx.new.swagit.com/videos/130439 A second S&L Global link: https://disclosure.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/-/view/type/HTML/id/2708651. The Hotel contract is a disgrace. The City attorney said: "don't sign it:. Our Mayor, three councilmen,  Administrator and Finance Director gave away the Citizen's right to litigation, recourse of wrongdoing and incompetenceand with gross negligence. The Bonds  have been downgraded to "Junk Bonds". More bad news is coming. The Citizens of Conroe are the losers in this disaster. 

Do you agree with Conroe's Pro-Tax Sharing (Abatement) policy?  Why or why not and what changes would you make? 

The time for tax abatements should be reviewed and used only as a case by case incentive and as the last good faith effort when a large company is considering Conroe and one other city for their facility.  Conroe has so many outstanding opportunities for  why a company would succeed in establishing their enterprise here. Presently, abatements are  just the "cherry on top off the sundae", not the primary drawing incentive. I respect that CIDC does hold abatement recipients to the terms and conditions of the contract on an annual basis.

Should City employees living out of the city and/or county take home city vehicles?  Why or why not?

Only First Responders should be allowed to take home vehicals. There will be times when these First Responders  will be needed to return with lights and sirens on. 

What's the turnover in the city staff and do you consider that to be normal, high or low?  And if high, to what do you attribute the cause?

The turnover seems low, espcially in the upper eschelon. however, I support the recent terminations and departures that were based on failure to put the city and its citizens first and with cause. Going forward, individuals from cities much larger than Conroe should be considered for any vacancies in dIrector levels positions and above.  These individuals could actually be the director or the number two person in their respective positions.